All the Best of Uluwatu, Bali

Uluwatu was by far my favorite place in Bali and the region where I spent most of my time.

I liked it so much the first time that I came back a second time and it got even better.

It has a bit of everything that I like, great beaches, epic sunsets, scenic ocean views atop high cliffs, beach club night life, beautiful Villas. But I can see why others may not see it that way.

That’s how I felt about Canggu in Bali, it wasn’t for me but I see the appeal to living there.

Uluwatu is located on the Southern Peninsula of the Island of Bali, Indonesia and has some of the best sunsets the island has to offer. I saw a new sunset every night, every on one of them was amazing.

But Uluwatu has more than just beautiful sunsets.

Thankfully I booked a good hostel and the host was an all-around great guy. He showed everyone the best spots to go and I’ll share them with you here.

Without further ado and in no particular order.

Sunset Point

As the name implies, it’s a fantastic spot to chill and have a drink while watching the sunset. Even though there are plenty of places to sit, it fills up quick at sunset. Best to come about 45 minutes before the sun actually sets completely. Drinks are decently priced but food was overpriced. I paid 55,000 Rupiah for a Beef Cheeseburger smaller than my palm. The place is realtively easy to find, nearby Uluwatu Temple.

Waiting for our fresh fish to be cooked at the Fish Market

Fish Market

Was skeptical of this at first but it was recommended by the host of our hostel and the first night I was there someone got salmonella and spent 4 days in the hospital. YIKES! Suffice to say I was hesitant to go but I went anyways vowing to myself to get the freshest fish that I could find. Plenty of fresh fish here to say the least. Today’s catch spread all over the narrowly cramped hallways; red fish, blue fish, shellfish, two fish. Shark, crab, lobster, squid, just everything to pick from. You take your picks and bring it to the grill next door for dinner. By far the best meal I had in Bali, and cheap too.

Best Beach, Thomas Beach/Padang Padang

Best at high tide otherwise the water has retreated out to sea a bit and is too shallow for a swim. This beach is chill. You can surf at high tide or just chill for an afternoon on a rented beach chair with a cold coconut. That’s the kind of beach that I like. Unfortunately, I noticed most beaches in Bali have some sort of reef which makes it annoying to swim. It’s not that big of deal but it’s certainly not what I expected. Padang Padang is one of the better beaches in Bali, but really just for high-tide.

Uluwatu Temple. Not the postcard-worthy photo it deserves.

Uluwatu Temple

It’s touristy but quite beautiful. High upon the cliff side this temple is rather large. Nice ocean views all along the cliffs and monkeys running around being assholes and stealing your stuff. That’s about as interesting as it gets, but worth a look. The temple spans almost the entire cliff-side and is much prettier than the pictures show. It’s probably epic during sunset, the above picture is taken facing West, towards where the sun sets.

Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) Statue

This thing is huge and can be seen from pretty much the entire Southern coastline if you look South to Uluwatu. I remember seeing it from Canggu and saying, that thing must be massive. It truly is massive; 30 stories tall and apparently it’s the largest Vishnu statue in the world. I didn’t actually go into the GWK Culture Park but I just enjoyed seeing the statue from afar, which funny enough, is the best way to get good pictures of the whole thing. In fact you probably don’t even need to go up to it anyways because you can see it from everywhere. You really can’t miss it.

You’ve probably already seen pictures of this place on Instagram because it’s “the spot to be” for Instagram celebs and whoever else wants to pay $30 AUD entrance fee for general admission. It’s an expensive place, even by Western prices. Not ridiculously expensive like Las Vegas but crazy-pricey for Bali. I went one time and had a good fun dancing, swimming, and drinking. They have a dress code, “upscale swimwear” or something like that so don’t dress like a beach bum.

Definitely a fun place. I went twice and had fun both times, even met three Instagrammers I’ve followed for some time while dancing and drinking. and being merry. The venue sits atop a cliff and has an amazing view of the sunset if you catch dinner here. I’m sure the food is great but I never ate here. Instead I came around 10pm and just enjoyed the beach club party vibes. After 12pm the main venue closes down and everyone either leaves or moves downstairs, dubbed “Double Fin” where the music takes on a grungy Euro-trash club. Not my scene but for many others they love it. After that the party empties out into the streets which is arguably better than Double Fin. Any way you want to experience it is great.

That’s pretty much it for Uluwatu, the highlights at least.

Did you go to Uluwatu? or are you planning your trip to Bali and want to visit Uluwatu? Sign up for my email list below and leave a comment below.

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Nomad, Vagabond, Gallivanter, Globetrotter. A former wage slave to the corporate world of America and New Zealand, he now travels the world in search of exciting experiences and good company. Nick Grant is the sole founder and Editor-in-Chief of Traveller's Atlas. You find him on Twitter and Instagram @thatnickgrant